Breaking the rules: An analysis of grammatical deviations in Bob Dylan’s lyrics

The present research examines the deviations from standard grammar that appear throughout Bob Dylan’s lyrics. The study applies qualitative and quantitative analysis to analyse eleven types of errors, such as subject-verb agreement, double negation, noun followed by a personal pronoun, omission, using an adjectival form instead of adverbial form, etc., that appear in his lyrics and to determine their possible purpose and impact. The analysis reveals that being one of the most influential and innovative songwriters in history, Dylan has frequently challenged traditional language structures, often bending grammatical rules to enhance the artistic impact of his music.

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Publication Details

Journal
Studies in Linguistics Culture and FLT
Published
2025-08-18
DOI
https://doi.org/10.46687/dgqh2417
Primary Topic
Discourse Analysis in Language Studies
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
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article

Breaking the rules: An analysis of grammatical deviations in Bob Dylan’s lyrics

Tsvetalina Aneva
Studies in Linguistics Culture and FLT
Discourse Analysis in Language Studies
article

Breaking the rules: An analysis of grammatical deviations in Bob Dylan’s lyrics

Tsvetalina Aneva
article en

Abstract

The present research examines the deviations from standard grammar that appear throughout Bob Dylan’s lyrics. The study applies qualitative and quantitative analysis to analyse eleven types of errors, such as subject-verb agreement, double negation, noun followed by a personal pronoun, omission, using an adjectival form instead of adverbial form, etc., that appear in his lyrics and to determine their possible purpose and impact. The analysis reveals that being one of the most influential and innovative songwriters in history, Dylan has frequently challenged traditional language structures, often bending grammatical rules to enhance the artistic impact of his music.

Studies in Linguistics Culture and FLTVol. 13(2)
Shumen University (BG)
Openalex Percentile: Top 78%
Discourse Analysis in Language Studies
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